I ignore the minor leagues. The games aren't televised and even if they were, I would be too busy to watch enough of them to form an opinion. I don't rely on stat lines to tell who is good and who isn't, that is only part of the picture.

That's the kind of attitude that can get you a job with the White Sox front office.

That's fine - neither do I - but there are people who get paid to do that, and some are writers who analyze and report on it.

That's fine. There are also people who report and analyze celebrity gossip. I don't begrudge them, either. I was only responding to Doub's miscomprehension of my earlier post.

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‎This just in from the newswires: The Anti-Trust Division of the US Department of Justice has announced that whenever Sale take The Bump, it is unfair competition in violation of various federal and state laws. However, he is not being prosecuted because it is so ****in awesome to watch him do his craft.

Until the Sox start spending the amount of money need to really get good talent as well as develop it, they are going to be behind the eight ball. According to the numbers that Gonzo had in the Tribune, they spent the least amount of money in baseball over the last five years on the minor league talent.

Like my late father used to say, "you get what you pay for..."

This may change with Hahn in charge, he might take a more balanced appraoch to the entire major/minor league operation. We'll see.

Until the Sox start spending the amount of money need to really get good talent as well as develop it, they are going to be behind the eight ball. According to the numbers that Gonzo had in the Tribune, they spent the least amount of money in baseball over the last five years on the minor league talent.

Like my late father used to say, "you get what you pay for..."

This may change with Hahn in charge, he might take a more balanced appraoch to the entire major/minor league operation. We'll see.

Lip

Not to mention the changes in the new CBA hopefully meaning the Sox do spend more than they have in the past on amateur talent, especially relative to other teams who can't spend as much as they used to.

Pirates, Padres, Cubs, Twins, Red Sox, and Marlins are in the top ten (60% of the top ten for those of you keeping score at home). All had losing seasons last year (if the Red Sox have such a great farm system, why did they not have the horses to replace the injured players?). I only ignored the cherry picking.

Actually the Red Sox had extensive injuries last year. At one point, they had 4 outfielders on the DL. That was after they traded their top outfield prospect before the season in Josh Reddick for a closer and Ryan Sweeney. The closer, Andrew Bailey did not return till late summer from a spring injury and Sweeney started as the 4th outfielder and went down with an injury for an extended period as well. Tough to find that many replacements in the minors.
I see them a lot and they have been pretty successful in getting production when they call up a player. Now they do spend money at the AAA level by signing some ML vets to go along with their young prospects. Notice Theo contunued the same signing Lillibridge and McDonald to AAA contracts.

Actually the Red Sox had extensive injuries last year. At one point, they had 4 outfielders on the DL. That was after they traded their top outfield prospect before the season in Josh Reddick for a closer and Ryan Sweeney. The closer, Andrew Bailey did not return till late summer from a spring injury and Sweeney started as the 4th outfielder and went down with an injury for an extended period as well. Tough to find that many replacements in the minors.
I see them a lot and they have been pretty successful in getting production when they call up a player. Now they do spend money at the AAA level by signing some ML vets to go along with their young prospects. Notice Theo contunued the same signing Lillibridge and McDonald to AAA contracts.

Can Reddick be said to have been a prospect at that point? He had played over half the season prior to the trade.

__________________"I have the ultimate respect for White Sox fans. They were as miserable as the Cubs and Red Sox fans ever were but always had the good decency to keep it to themselves. And when they finally won the World Series, they celebrated without annoying every other fan in the country." Jim Caple, ESPN (January 12, 2011)

"We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the (bleeding) obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." — George Orwell

I would also like to point out that major league success has little bearing on whether the player in the minors *now* is considered a top/valuable prospect. Many a prospect perceived as great, but who sputtered out eventually, has been used to fetch a hefty ransom in trade talks.

Not to mention the changes in the new CBA hopefully meaning the Sox do spend more than they have in the past on amateur talent, especially relative to other teams who can't spend as much as they used to.

This ^^

Last year's draft represented a dramatic shift in our philosophy which can be attributed to the changes in the CBA. With the playing field more even, I imagine that a lot of teams that traditionally do well in the draft because of their free spending will suffer. I look forward to players being drafted in the proper order for many years to come.

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March 16, 2005 - Another happy Sox fan joins the party!
July 6, 2012 - 7 years later he's still part of it...

Until the Sox start spending the amount of money need to really get good talent as well as develop it, they are going to be behind the eight ball. According to the numbers that Gonzo had in the Tribune, they spent the least amount of money in baseball over the last five years on the minor league talent.

Like my late father used to say, "you get what you pay for..."

This may change with Hahn in charge, he might take a more balanced appraoch to the entire major/minor league operation. We'll see.

Lip

The Sox spent their entire allocation last year under the new CBA. Can't do better than that with the new system.

It's spending on good coaches, it's spending on getting the best scouts (even if that means getting them from other organizations), it's spending on getting the minor league operations up to par with the way the Sox want it done. Have been to Great Falls for example and let's just say they need some work on the facilities. It means spending money on international talent that is not subject to draft specifications.

It's spending on good coaches, it's spending on getting the best scouts (even if that means getting them from other organizations), it's spending on getting the minor league operations up to par with the way the Sox want it done. Have been to Great Falls for example and let's just say they need some work on the facilities. It means spending money on international talent that is not subject to draft specifications.

Lip

I thought spending on international talent was also covered under the new CBA?